Yukihana offers fine service, fare in a pleasant atmosphere

Shelley Rauch

Yukihana Japanese Steak & Seafood is located in the spot formerly occupied by Nin-Ja in York County.

The ownership may have changed, but the interior remains mostly the same: a spacious dining room featuring several beautiful hibachi tables, surrounded by the clean lines of an elegant bar, both sushi and traditional.

While it may be a Japanese steakhouse, it also features a full sushi bar and menu, and that's right where my husband and I headed. The menu held no surprises, with the regular gang of sushi and sashimi all accounted for, and our order was soon in the calm, undulating hands of the sushi chef.

Because wine choices were limited to "white, red or plum," Dave and I both opted for the 22-ounce Kirin ($7.95). A small selection of imports and domestics were also available, along with the requisite hot and cold sakes.

The sushi chef, floating quietly behind the bar, appeared suddenly and set down two small bowls, and with a nod, disappeared again. The offering, given both to us and another couple sitting at the bar, was a complimentary cucumber salad, flecked with black sesame seeds. Its tangy flavor was extremely refreshing, and a great start to the meal.

The waitress also brought over two unexpected bowls of miso soup, which she said came along with our sushi order. It was good quality stuff, too: light and fresh-tasting, without that sometimes overpowering flavor.

I'd also ordered a plain house salad ($2.25), unaware of all that we would be tasting! Luckily, the portion was small. Crisp lettuce, shaved carrots and a cold grape tomato were dressed in a zippy ginger dressing: again, quite delicious.

As appetizers, we each got an order of shumai ($4.95) and fried gyoza ($4.95). The gyoza were golden brown and perfectly crisped, with a nice, meaty filling. The shuami, steamed, were very soft and sweet. These were simply OK alone, but much better when plunged into the slightly salty dipping sauce.

Finally, our sushi arrived. The spicy tuna roll ($4.95) and tuna tempura ($6.95) were standard fare, if rather on the smaller side. Two pieces of unagi (eel, $4.25) angled out from each side. Again, a palatable flavor in a somewhat small portion size.

On the tail of all that eating came a roll I'd forgotten we'd ordered. The Yukihana special ($7.95) was topped with chunks of spiced tuna that dwarfed the roll in size, leaving us plucking out bits of tuna before getting down to the roll. As promised, however, the tuna was deliciously spiced.

One last surprise came, again to us and the other couple at the bar. The chef carefully set down a small dish with a single, split mussel in its shell. The warmed mollusk was covered in a thick, outrageously yellow dab of sauce, and sprinkled with tiny orange roe.

It was an unexpectedly delicious way to end the meal.

All in all, Yukihana has pleasant fare and service in a beautiful atmosphere. Sushi lovers will find quick service at the bar, while groups interested in hibachi will find some fine showmanship from the young chefs on the floor.